Emily Smith

Emily became interested in songs from the tradition when she first became a student onthe Traditional Music course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Although piano and accordian were her instruments of choice - Emily is a member of accordian band Koda - it was not long before her fine singing voice was attracting attention and soon traditional singing became the main focus of her performance.

Emily comes from Thornhill, a Dumfriess-shire village in the south west of Scotland. She is the 2002 winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Tradiitional Musician Award which she scooped in January at a prestigious concert during Celtic Connections Festival. This year, she formed "The Emily Smith Band" which also features Ross Ainslie on pipes and whistle, Jamie McClennan, fiddle and Sean O'Donnell, guitar. With thought-provoking arrangements and a playing expertise to match, this young band have already played throughout Scotland and England and at various European festivals to critical acclaim.

Their first CD "A Day Like Today" is available now from Foot Stompin' Celtic Music.